Global Oct 23 2026: Russia-Ukraine Tensions, US-Iran Standoff

1. RUSSIA READY TO RESUME TRILATERAL TALKS
President Vladimir Putin met US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Oct 21 for about three hours. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Russia is ready to resume trilateral talks with the US and Ukraine in mid-November, focused on a post-conflict security system; he also said no party has ruled out a possible China-Russia-US leaders' meeting on the sidelines of APEC next month. However, hours after the talks, Russia launched three waves of ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv overnight Oct 21-22 using 21 missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky reported 2 people killed and 34 wounded across 12 regions, and demanded stronger air defenses, faster missile deliveries and tougher sanctions. The strikes ran counter to diplomatic signals and deepened doubts about prospects for de-escalation.

2. US SAYS NOT NEGOTIATING WITH IRAN
President Donald Trump said on Oct 22 that Washington is "not negotiating" with Tehran and that "something one way or the other" will happen "fairly soon," while accusing Iran of staging attacks and laying mines to push up oil prices before the Nov 3 midterm elections. The US Treasury announced new sanctions on Iran the same day. In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it has prepared for "asymmetric warfare" and is preparing to unveil a new weapon described as the "father of all bombs." The conflicting statements raise risks of escalation, while the State Department denied reports of a broad departure order for US embassies in the Gulf, saying the measure applied only to Saudi Arabia.

3. HOUTHIS EXPAND ATTACKS IN YEMEN, SAUDI ARABIA
The Houthis intensified attacks on government-held Hadramout, targeting the Al-Dhabba oil terminal and Al-Rayan airport in Mukalla with drones and ballistic missiles; no immediate casualties were reported. In Saudi Arabia, an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam killed 1 person and injured 8; separately, Saudi air defenses intercepted a drone near the Shaybah oil field, with two foreign nationals killed and two injured. The European Parliament called on the EU Council to designate the Houthis, including their political and military wings and leaders, as a terrorist organization. Egypt said its military role would be limited to defending Saudi territory and borders and would not include attacking Yemen.

4. FRANCE TIGHTENS SECURITY BEFORE OCT 24 PROTESTS
President Emmanuel Macron vowed to prevent riots at nationwide protests scheduled for Oct 24, saying the government will use all legal tools and that restoring calm is the top priority. Authorities banned all protests in Marseille on Oct 24 and suspended public transport that day; curfews for minors were extended and will apply to adults on the nights of Oct 24-25. Paris and Lyon renewed curfews for a third consecutive night. The Louvre and several other museums closed because of demonstrations; Art Basel Paris will close early this weekend. Macron also condemned "unacceptable and stupid comments" by foreign leaders about France's Oct 17 unrest after Trump blamed it on immigration.

5. MAGNITUDE 7.0 EARTHQUAKE HITS TIBET
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Baqen County, Nagqu, in China's Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region at 22:33 local time on Oct 22. State media reported at least 16 people killed and 32 injured, with hundreds of homes destroyed or collapsed. PLA Xizang troops were dispatched to the area. The quake struck a remote mountainous region, raising concerns about access for relief and reconstruction for local residents.

6. OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Vietnam's General Secretary and President To Lam held talks with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Oct 22; the sides issued a joint press release reaffirming deeper partnership, including Global Gateway investments and the Just Energy Transition Partnership. In Gaza, an Israeli strike on Oct 22 killed one Palestinian and injured 13. Lebanon stressed that weapons must be exclusively in the hands of the state, while its army foiled an arms-smuggling attempt from Syria. France reported the first human detection of Shamonda virus, normally a livestock virus, in an immunocompromised patient who died in early October.

Điều cần theo dõi hôm nay: France's defense council meets on Oct 23 to prepare for nationwide protests on Oct 24.

*Information compiled for reference, reflecting multiple sources at the time of publication.*